Softball

Before game one of the Lions’ doubleheader, the sun was out and shining on Medlar Field.

Despite this welcoming outlook and after the Penn State softball team (11-22, 3-6 Big Ten) held a 3-0 lead on Temple (17-16, 5-3 A-10), the skies started turning ugly in the third inning.

After a mixture of rain and hail pelted the field for close to an hour, the umpires deemed the surface unplayable and called both contests.

The cancellation of the doubleheader was a disappointing turn of events for the Lions, as all aspects of the game were clicking early for the streaking squad.

“I think that anytime you don’t get to play it’s disappointing, you know the game is there to be played, but Mother Nature always has the upper hand,” assistant coach Jen McIntyre said.

Trying to add two more games to their four-game winning streak, the team got off to a slow start in the first inning, but came out of the gates firing in the second.

At the plate, the Lions got two runners on base for Jordan Wheatley, who jolted a shot to deep centerfield, scoring Kailyn Johnson.

Following the hit, Shannon Hutchinson pushed one through the left side to move the baserunners up, loading the bags.

With ducks on the pond, the Lions’ best hitter of late Cassidy Bell stepped up and laced a liner down the right field line, scoring one to make the lead 2-0.

The Lions ended up pushing across another run by way of a walk induced by Alyssa Renwick, making the lead 3-0 heading into the third inning.

The scorecards were pretty clean and clear that inning, but the skies above certainly weren’t.

After a scoreless third, heavy precipitation struck Medlar Field, sending fans scurrying for cover and the players to their respective dugouts.

Even though the grounds crew put in a valiant effort to restore the field’s original state, the conditions were unplayable and the game could not go on.

The Lions will be looking for better weather and a continuation of their winning streak this weekend when they host a three-game series against Indiana.